Poland in Australia

The Minister of Foreign Affairs has announced a contest for the best foreign language publication promoting the history of Poland and the best Polish language publications on the history of Polish diplomacy. The contest welcomes works which were published in 2021. Historians can submit their works until 31 August 2022.

As we celebrate fifty years of diplomatic relations between Poland and Australia in 2022, we proudly share with you ten inspiring stories of Polish-Australians.

In 2022 we celebrate 50 years since the establishment of Polish-Australian diplomatic relations. However, people-to-people links between Poland and Australia extend well beyond the last five decades.

The celebration at the Polish Embassy in Canberra took place on 5 May and commemorated the 231st anniversary of the adoption of the 3rd of May Constitution, as well as this year’s 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Poland and Australia. Various events commemorating the 3rd of May Constitution, as well as the Flag Day and the Day of the Polish Diaspora and Poles Abroad on 2 May, were held in many cities across Australia, organised at the initiative of local Polish community and Polish Honorary Consuls.

50 eucalyptus trees were planted on 4 April in Geehi, near Mount Kosciuszko, with each tree symbolising a year of official diplomatic relations between Poland and Australia. The project was carried out in cooperation with NSW National Park & Wildlife Service. Together with Ambassador Michał Kołodziejski, the trees were planted by Kyle Williams, NPWS Director for Southern Ranges Branch; Ian Chaffey, mayor of Snowy Valley Council; Elders of the Monaro Ngarigo people; local community members as well as representatives of the Polish community in New South Wales.

This year’s Polish-Hungarian Friendship Day was held on 25 March at the Polish Embassy in Canberra. To show solidarity with Ukraine, the hosts of the event – Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Canberra Michał Kołodziejski and Chargé d’Affaires of Hungary Diana Haszonics – invited a special guest, Chargé d’Affaires of Ukraine, Volodymyr Shalkivskyi. Among the participants of the celebration were representatives of the Polish, Hungarian and Ukrainian communities from the ACT.